Pevats battling for spot in Brazil

Whangarei Heads' Ocean Beach is one of Northland's great surf spots.

Ocean Beach surfer Grace Pevats will be looking to continue her dominant form today.

The Whangarei teen, and recent Billabong Grom Series overall winner, will take to the Rip Curl GromSearch this weekend at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth.

Pevats will join New Zealand’s top young surfers in the under-17 divisions who will be battling to represent New Zealand at the international Rip Curl GromSearch final at Maresias Beach, Sao Paulo, Brazil from April 28-May 3.

The prize has attracted the country’s top young surfers to the Taranaki region as they gear up for this event as well as the Australasian Pro Junior events kicking off on March 24.

Taranaki surfer Daniel Farr is currently leading the Under-17 Boys Division and will go into this weekend’s event as the number one seed after winning two of the three events held this summer.

Farr is also the defending champion of the event and went to Indonesia to contest the international final at Lakey Peak in Indonesia last year.

Farr will be joined by Kehu Butler (Mount Maunganui) as the key male surfers to watch.

Gisborne’s Jasmine Smith represented New Zealand alongside Farr in 2014 and will return to the competitive arena for the first time in two months after a back injury hampered her ability to surf this summer.

Smith will resume her campaign against upcoming surfers Elin Tawharu (Mt Maunganui), Milly Crewe (Muriwai) and Zhana Hutchieson (Waitara).

The under-14 divisions are currently being led by Dylan Preston (Whangamata) and Pevats (Whangarei).

Action will begin 8am today at Fitzroy Beach.